Is Waterloo Elementary a good school?

Waterloo Elementary ranks 253 rd of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Waterloo Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 271 students attended Waterloo Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Waterloo Elementary?

Students at Waterloo Elementary are 71% White, 17% African American, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Waterloo Elementary attend?

Students who attend Waterloo Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Laurens District 55 High

Waterloo Elementary

Summary:

Waterloo Elementary is a public elementary school serving 271 students in grades PK-5 in Waterloo, South Carolina, which is part of the Laurens 55 school district. While the school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic achievement, it has a unique student population and faces ongoing challenges in maintaining its excellence.

Waterloo Elementary stands out for its significantly higher percentage of white students (71.22%) compared to nearby schools, as well as its strong academic performance. In the 2023-2024 school year, 61.3% of 3rd graders at Waterloo Elementary were proficient or better in English Language Arts, far exceeding the district (33.3%) and state (53.8%) averages. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from a high of 94 out of 630 schools in 2013-2014 to 253 out of 638 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, suggesting it may be struggling to maintain its academic excellence over time.

Waterloo Elementary's high per-student spending of $13,842 in the 2022-2023 school year and the fact that 100% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch indicate that the school is serving a population with significant economic challenges. While Waterloo Elementary generally outperforms nearby schools in the Laurens 55 district, its performance is less impressive when compared to schools in the neighboring Greenwood 50 district, such as Merrywood Elementary and Pinecrest Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

10457 Highway 221 South
Waterloo, SC 29384

(864) 677-5610

District: Laurens 55

SchoolDigger Rank:
253^rd of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,842

Students who attend Waterloo Elementary usually attend:

High:

Laurens District 55 High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 271

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.2%

African American:

17.0%

Hispanic:

7.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Waterloo Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Waterloo Elementary ranks better than 60.3% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks first among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Laurens 55 School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.85. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Waterloo Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Laurens 55 School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waterloo Elementary is $13,842, which is the highest among 6 elementary schools in the Laurens 55 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waterloo Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterloo Elementary 253^rd of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Waterloo Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Laurens 55:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurens 55 63^rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Waterloo Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Waterloo Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2003	55.03	270^th	542	50.2%
2004	67.25	175^th	550	68.2%
2005	68.12	177^th	557	68.2%
2006	49.21	317^th	559	43.3%
2007	42.36	376^th	566	33.6%
2008	34.31	428^th	577	25.8%
2009	69.83	163^rd	580	71.9%
2010	66.99	184^th	589	68.8%
2011	74.73	127^th	597	78.7%
2012	78.96	94^th	594	84.2%
2013	83.98	57^th	599	90.5%
2014	79.68	94^th	630	85.1%
2015	62.79	197^th	638	69.1%
2016	71.92	155^th	619	75.0%
2017	49.80	316^th	639	50.5%
2018	48.88	313^th	624	49.8%
2019	34.88	426^th	643	33.7%
2021	16.96	512^th	622	17.7%
2022	21.64	488^th	625	21.9%
2023	44.73	349^th	644	45.8%
2024	59.85	253^rd	638	60.3%

See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waterloo Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	50.86	274^th	588	53.4%
2019	35.35	416^th	600	30.7%
2021	21.07	472^nd	580	18.6%
2022	23.09	480^th	600	20.0%
2023	60.44	223^rd	608	63.3%
2024	76.96	110^th	599	81.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Waterloo Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	53.92	278^th	588	52.7%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Waterloo Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	35.17	375^th	571	34.3%
2019	33.43	407^th	590	31.0%
2021	7.69	536^th	561	4.5%
2023	26.34	439^th	582	24.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Waterloo Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	27.56	344^th	457	24.7%
2019	11.93	441^st	472	6.6%
2021	2.82	437^th	439	0.5%
2022	2.51	450^th	455	1.1%
2023	20.27	391^st	463	15.6%
2024	40.73	290^th	441	34.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Waterloo Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	234	74	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	309
2003	234	74	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	309
2004	245	68	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	1	320
2005	263	71	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	2	343
2006	282	66	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	3	358
2007	291	76	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	373
2008	293	82	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	2	385
2009	260	61	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	5	331
2010	287	75	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	6	373
2011	248	53	0	4	0	0	7	0	312
2012	259	47	0	1	0	0	8	0	315
2013	227	58	0	1	0	0	4	0	290
2014	226	66	0	0	0	0	3	0	295
2015	221	49	0	2	0	0	9	0	281
2016	189	52	0	4	0	0	10	0	255
2017	195	51	0	6	1	0	9	0	262
2018	193	45	0	3	1	0	7	0	249
2019	205	49	0	3	0	0	8	0	265
2020	201	40	0	6	0	0	7	0	254
2021	192	35	2	10	0	0	8	0	247
2022	193	44	7	13	0	0	6	0	263
2023	193	46	3	19	0	0	10	0	271

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Waterloo Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	309	16.0	19.3	64.3
2003	309	16.0	19.3	64.3
2004	320	16.0	20.0	69.6
2005	343	18.0	19.1	69.8
2006	358	19.0	18.8	69
2007	373	38.0	9.8	71.3
2008	385	21.0	18.3	72.6
2009	331	20.0	16.6	76.4
2010	373	24.8	15.0	75.2
2011	312	17.1	18.2	77.6
2012	315	18.6	16.9	76.2
2013	290	16.6	17.4	74.5
2014	295	19.6	15.0	77.6
2015	281	19.0	14.7	72.6
2016	255	20.0	12.7	72.5
2017	262	18.0	14.5	100
2018	249	17.0	14.6	100
2019	265	19.0	13.9	100
2020	254	21.0	12.0	100
2021	247	20.0	12.3	100
2022	263	20.0	13.1	100
2023	271	21.0	12.9	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Waterloo Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	309	16.0	19.3	64.3
2003	309	16.0	19.3	64.3
2004	320	16.0	20.0	69.6
2005	343	18.0	19.1	69.8
2006	358	19.0	18.8	69
2007	373	38.0	9.8	71.3
2008	385	21.0	18.3	72.6
2009	331	20.0	16.6	76.4
2010	373	24.8	15.0	75.2
2011	312	17.1	18.2	77.6
2012	315	18.6	16.9	76.2
2013	290	16.6	17.4	74.5
2014	295	19.6	15.0	77.6
2015	281	19.0	14.7	72.6
2016	255	20.0	12.7	72.5
2017	262	18.0	14.5	100
2018	249	17.0	14.6	100
2019	265	19.0	13.9	100
2020	254	21.0	12.0	100
2021	247	20.0	12.3	100
2022	263	20.0	13.1	100
2023	271	21.0	12.9	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Waterloo Elementary

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$549 (4.9%)	$197 (1.7%)	$746 (6.6%)	$8,451 (74.9%)	$2,091 (18.5%)	$10,542 (93.4%)	$11,289
2020	$360 (3.2%)	$227 (2.0%)	$587 (5.2%)	$8,692 (76.9%)	$2,030 (18.0%)	$10,722 (94.8%)	$11,309
2021	$425 (3.4%)	$342 (2.7%)	$767 (6.1%)	$9,762 (77.7%)	$2,028 (16.2%)	$11,790 (93.9%)	$12,556
2022	$1,023 (6.7%)	$833 (5.5%)	$1,856 (12.2%)	$11,031 (72.8%)	$2,272 (15.0%)	$13,303 (87.8%)	$15,159
2023	$1,174 (8.5%)	$732 (5.3%)	$1,905 (13.8%)	$9,708 (70.1%)	$2,229 (16.1%)	$11,936 (86.2%)	$13,842

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Waterloo Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 426^th of 643 Elementary schools	Ranks 349^th of 644 Elementary schools	12.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Elementary)	42.3	44.4	2.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)	33.5	33.5
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	49.7	53.5	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Elementary)	38.5	55.5	17%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)	37.6	37	0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	57.7	53.6	4.1%
4th Grade Science (Waterloo Elementary)	41.7	48.6	6.9%
4th Grade Science (Laurens 55)	40.1	34.2	5.9%
4th Grade Science (South Carolina)	52	46.6	5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Elementary)	33.3	51.3	18%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)	40	41.1	1.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	51.3	57.2	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Elementary)	27.8	37.8	10%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)	29	32.5	3.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	50.5	47	3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Elementary)	35.4	33.3	2.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)	27.9	39.1	11.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	41	55.2	14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Elementary)	41.7	48.1	6.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)	28.6	28.8	0.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	45.4	44.6	0.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	265	271	2.3%
African American	49	46	6.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	3
Hispanic	3	19	533.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	205	193	5.9%
Two or More Races	8	10	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Waterloo Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)			SC READY Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Waterloo Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10457 Highway 221 South	Waterloo	29384	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 677-5610	271	21	12.9	100.0%	193 (71.2%)	46 (17.0%)	19 (7.0%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.7%)	59.8	253^rd of 638 public elementary schools	60.3%		44.7	349^th of 644 public elementary schools	45.8%	96	61.3	53.4	55.2	58.1	70.0	34.5	$13,842	$1,174	$732	$1,905	$9,708	$2,229	$11,936
E. B. Morse Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Parkview Drive	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-7777	457	33	14.0	100.0%	176 (38.5%)	243 (53.2%)	27 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	16.9	542^nd of 638 public elementary schools	15.0%		22.4	511^th of 644 public elementary schools	20.7%	31	30.6	37.8	35.0	25.8	37.7	28.3	$13,610	$1,375	$752	$2,127	$9,361	$2,122	$11,483
Laurens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Henry Street	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-3067	504	36	14.0	100.0%	238 (47.2%)	206 (40.9%)	44 (8.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.8%)	29.7	447^th of 638 public elementary schools	29.9%		22.7	508^th of 644 public elementary schools	21.1%	61	42.3	42.3	44.2	39.4	40.7	35.2	$12,191	$1,159	$697	$1,856	$8,426	$1,908	$10,334
Ware Shoals Primary	Public	PK, KG-4	15269 Indian Mound Road	Ware Shoals	29692	Greenwood County	Greenwood 51	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 861-2261	370	28	13.2	100.0%	258 (69.7%)	61 (16.5%)	20 (5.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.1%)	38.7	389^th of 638 public elementary schools	39.0%		29.6	448^th of 644 public elementary schools	30.4%	59	45.1	48.0		43.6	50.0		$11,819	$1,894	$823	$2,718	$7,548	$1,553	$9,102
Ford Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Lucas Avenue	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-3986	416	34	12.3	100.0%	117 (28.1%)	108 (26.0%)	170 (40.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.0%)	9.8	604^th of 638 public elementary schools	5.3%		8.8	615^th of 644 public elementary schools	4.5%	11	16.7	25.0	32.0	22.3	33.3	22.0	$12,917	$1,514	$802	$2,316	$8,653	$1,947	$10,601
Clinton Elementary	Public	K-5	800 Chestnut Street	Clinton	29325	Laurens County	Laurens 56	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 833-0812	383	34	11.3	100.0%	147 (38.4%)	177 (46.2%)	22 (5.7%)	10 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.0%)	50.8	307^th of 638 public elementary schools	51.9%		59.3	250^th of 644 public elementary schools	61.2%	57	46.8	45.5	55.7	50.6	56.3	52.5	$12,733	$1,149	$1,631	$2,779	$8,634	$1,319	$9,954
Eleanor S. Rice Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1802 East Durst Avenue	Greenwood	29649	Greenwood County	Greenwood 50	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 941-5660	448	40	11.2	100.0%	92 (20.5%)	297 (66.3%)	28 (6.3%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	23 (5.1%)	51.3	301^st of 638 public elementary schools	52.8%		23.5	502^nd of 644 public elementary schools	22.0%	201	63.5	54.7	40.3	60.3	60.4	29.8	$13,043	$2,116	$1,359	$3,475	$8,293	$1,275	$9,568
Woodfields Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1032 Emerald Road	Greenwood	29646	Greenwood County	Greenwood 50	No	Yes	No	Yes	(864) 941-5540	758	62	12.3	100.0%	229 (30.2%)	347 (45.8%)	139 (18.3%)	8 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	5 (0.7%)	27 (3.6%)	65.5	213^th of 638 public elementary schools	66.6%		41.6	370^th of 644 public elementary schools	42.5%	157	57.7	62.0	63.0	54.5	53.3	55.0	$12,652	$2,435	$1,255	$3,689	$7,862	$1,101	$8,963
Merrywood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	329 Deadfall Road West	Greenwood	29649	Greenwood County	Greenwood 50	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 941-5700	515	40	12.8	100.0%	247 (48.0%)	201 (39.0%)	48 (9.3%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.8%)	8 (1.6%)	81.1	112^th of 638 public elementary schools	82.4%		70.1	187^th of 644 public elementary schools	71.0%	75	58.6	68.2	73.0	63.2	68.2	84.6	$13,186	$2,648	$1,164	$3,812	$8,224	$1,150	$9,374
Pinecrest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	220 East Northside Drive	Greenwood	29649	Greenwood County	Greenwood 50	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 941-5580	416	40	10.5	100.0%	71 (17.1%)	224 (53.8%)	104 (25.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.7%)	9 (2.2%)	79.1	128^th of 638 public elementary schools	79.9%		25.6	483^rd of 644 public elementary schools	25.0%	355	76.7	60.3	62.0	75.0	58.9	70.0	$15,393	$2,737	$1,407	$4,144	$10,079	$1,171	$11,250

Waterloo Elementary

Waterloo Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Laurens 55:

What do you think?

Rank History for Waterloo Elementary

Rank History for all students at Waterloo Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waterloo Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Waterloo Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Waterloo Elementary

Rank History for White students at Waterloo Elementary

Enrollment information for Waterloo Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Waterloo Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Waterloo Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Waterloo Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Waterloo Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Waterloo Elementary